A FOOTBALL STADIUM that hosted Roman Abramovich’s Chelsea superstars in its latter days was left abandoned before being replaced by a supermarket.
This former stadium was located in one of North Yorkshire’s most-famous seaside resorts.
The likes of the Blues and Arsenal both played at the ground, while Neil Warnock and Russell Slade previously called it home during spells as manager there.
But anyone visiting the spot where it once stood these days will be greeted by a much-different sight – a Lidl store.
Scarborough, formed in 1879, were one of the oldest football clubs in England before they were wound up in June 2007 with debts of £2.5 million.
The Seadogs played at the Athletic Ground from 1898 until the club’s dissolution – but most modern day fans will have known it better as the McCain Stadium.
It opened back in 1898 on Seamer Road after the club switched from playing at the town’s cricket club.
It was renamed The McCain Stadium in a pioneering sponsorship deal in 1988 and was dubbed the ‘Theatre of Chips’ by supporters.
It was the venue for a number of memorable encounters for the now defunct club – especially in the 1992/93 season when Arsenal came to town.
Scarborough were eventually defeated in the League Cup clash against the Gunners 1-0 courtesy of a Nigel Winterburn goal.
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Then, in the FA Cup, it was Chelsea’s star-studded squad that made the trip north in January 2004.
Once again Scarborough battled valiantly but were undone by just one goal, which came via John Terry.
However, the famous cup days soon became a thing of the past as financial issues began to worsen and the ground was left without an owner when the club was dissolved in 2007.
It lay abandoned for four years until demolition began and a Lidl supermarket was built on the site – which eventually opened its doors in 2017.
That year was also memorable as phoenix club Scarborough Athletic FC played in the town for the first time in a decade.
That team was founded in 2007 after the collapse of Scarborough but played their home fixtures 20 miles away at Bridlington until they moved to their new Flamingo Land Stadium.
They are now managed by ex-Manchester United midfielder Jonathan Greening and held League Two Forest Green to a 1-1 draw in the FA Cup First Round on Saturday.
